Polycarbonate gazebos: practical options for the garden and summer cottages
Content
Types of gazebos
The construction of summer pavilions lasts from a week to several months. It all depends on the quadrature of the structures, the peculiarities of their furnishings and decor. In fully open verandas, polycarbonate is used to equip a waterproof roof. And since the material does not deteriorate under the influence of high temperatures, it is acceptable to use it in gazebos with barbecue facilities. In this case, the owners do not need to think about where it is safer to use the device for cooking.
Closed structures provide the best protection against rainfall, drafts and insects. In order to avoid the greenhouse effect, they are not recommended to be assembled from multilayer materials of a cellular structure. If there is no other option, you will have to use removable plastic film windows with Velcro. Depending on the type of raw materials, gazebos can be:
- brick with electrical wiring and autonomous heating;
- stone, located in the rear of a private house, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life;
- plastic, not requiring a reliable base;
- welded with greater resistance to temperature extremes and other unfavorable external factors;
- wooden, where it is fresh, warm and cozy in any weather, and since it is the tree that is the symbol of life and well-being, this is an energetically favorable option for married couples;
- living, entwined with shady plants, where there are no protective surfaces, therefore, when choosing a place, it is better to prefer the back of the yard.
In shape, seasonal structures are square, rectangular, multifaceted and round. The latter are less susceptible to mechanical stress. Due to the good stability of the frame, shrinkage of the structure is possible only in 2% of cases.
If we talk about various roofing options, most summer residents choose a single-pitched type. This is a simple, inexpensive, and most importantly, safe solution for the most windy cities in Russia, such as Severo-Kurilsk, Novorossiysk and Anadyr.
Video "Unusual polycarbonate gazebo"
From this video you will learn how to make an unusual polycarbonate gazebo with your own hands.
Advantages and disadvantages of the material
Like wood, polycarbonate retains heat well, while allowing you to create an exemplary building shape. If we compare this material with glass, it is almost 7 times higher than the latter in terms of heat and sound insulation. By scattering the direct rays of the sun, polycarbonate maintains an optimal level of moisture and illumination in rooms. Builders include its other advantages:
- high resistance to heat and frost;
- good flexibility, due to which you can build a segmental or triangular arch with your hands;
- light weight, which greatly facilitates work at height;
- impact resistance, allowing economical use of raw materials;
- variability of colors: from dark gray, on which almost no dirt is visible, to scarlet with a lower thermal conductivity;
- excellent combination with metal, plastic and wood.
Transparent polycarbonate allows up to 94% of natural light to pass through.The result is a visual expansion of space and up to 30% energy savings. From this material, lightweight summer cottages are obtained, which can actually be installed directly on the ground. Another thing is two-story structures overlooking the lake, requiring a linear foundation. They provide reliable protection against seasonal bad weather in one case: if you choose molded polycarbonate at the stage of project creation.
It is better to cover the roof with profiled sheets, which outwardly resemble a metal profile, and cellular polycarbonate is a profitable alternative to three-chamber double-glazed windows. Experts consider the only drawback of the material to be poor resistance to aggressive environments.
With wide sheets with a thickness of 2 mm, you can cover a gazebo with an area of 15 squares. Only with a weak fastening will they be blown away by the wind.
Simple construction options
Not only durable, but also beautiful gazebos with a gable canopy are obtained from polycarbonate. The main advantage of such structures is a high-quality water conduit, due to which it is possible to double the shelf life of the structure. Before the main work, it is important:
- clear a building site;
- make a drawing of the future structure indicating the location and dimensions of the supporting elements;
- lay the foundation of;
- to assemble a frame from a metal profile, which, unlike wooden elements, demonstrates greater resistance to moisture, temperature extremes and fire;
- sheathe the gazebo with monolithic sheets, and fix the blinds inside and decorate the window openings with plastic crafts.
Wood based
Buildings made of laminated veneer lumber require high-quality exterior and interior decoration. For this purpose, professionals recommend cellular polycarbonate. In order to avoid technical errors of work, it is better to carry out step by step:
- Measure the wooden frame for accurate calculation of building materials.
- Pick up sheets without defects.
- Mark cutting lines on products less than 6 m.
- Cut the materials with a construction knife or disc board.
- Remove sawdust with a vacuum cleaner.
To prevent moisture and insects from penetrating into the products, their ends should be treated with sealed tapes. This will increase the shelf life of the gazebo by at least 5 years. The next step is to attach the marked sheets to the frame. In this case, the stabilizing layer, which performs protective functions, must face the street. After that, you can introduce self-tapping screws at the corners of the frame or at the bottom of them.
It is important that the surface of the cellular material remains perfectly flat without damage. For this, the fasteners should not be screwed in at high speed. If dents do appear, go to reverse. At the end of the work, remove the protective film from the refractory sheets.
When choosing parts for point fixing of polycarbonate, it is better to prefer thermal insulating washers with an optimal diameter of 36 mm. Multi-colored polypropylene fasteners with poor UV resistance are more logical to use in shaded areas. Polycarbonate washers retain their original properties for a long time in any area.
With metal frame
In conditions of a metal frame, you will need to mount it on the frame. To do this, you will have to make 2-centimeter grooves in it and use a silicone sealant. If the owners prefer dry installation, you will need nuts, screws and self-tapping screws. In this case, no seals need to be glued to the colored sheets.
An acceptable distance between fasteners is 45-50 cm. If installation work is carried out in areas with significant differences in height, at least 2.5 cm should be retreated from the edge. Small gazebos for children's entertainment are sheathed with polycarbonate using double-sided tape. But a more reliable fixation of the sheets is provided by polyamide glue.
For the arrangement of small-sized structures, one-piece profiles are needed. When performing roofing works, polycarbonate sheets are installed vertically.This is necessary for high-quality drainage.
Ready-made polycarbonate gazebos cost from 9 to 28 thousand rubles. In the first case, sheets with a minimum thickness are taken as a basis, and in the second - at least 6 mm. Such designs have a dozen parts that can really be assembled in 40 minutes, and, if desired, decorate with organza air curtains.
For self-installation, you will definitely need wrenches and power tools with an adjustable screw-in depth of fasteners.